The Highway 130 Keaau-Pahoa Advisory Group will be meeting again on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009 at 5:45 PM at the Kea‘au Elementary School.

Our agenda will cover discussions on the Environmental Assessment (EA). A status update can be found below.

HDOT’s consultant team is continuing analyses needed to complete the Environmental Assessment (EA), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 343. A number of team members have been out in the field. Here is the current status of this work as of late August 2009:

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:

SSFM International is responsible for producing the EA document and for designing the roadway to a preliminary design level that can be studied in the EA. The preliminary design is continuing and is expected to be completed within the next several weeks. The EA document is being produced as portions of the analysis are completed.

TRAFFIC ANALYSIS:

Roger Dyar, the traffic consultant, is continuing with the traffic analysis for this project. He has been modeling traffic intersections, roundabouts, travel speeds and performance of the roadway along Kea‘au-Pāhoa Road. The five project alternatives are being considered for both AM and PM peak hours, and for different years of analysis. Addressing safety and existing deficiencies are an important part of his work. His traffic data will influence the design of the roadway, and it is also needed to model noise and air impacts.

SOCIOECONOMIC STUDY:

Earthplan, the subconsultant for socio-economics, has begun drafting its report on demographics and socio-economics in the study area. They are currently conducting interviews with members of the community as part of their analysis. Their study is expected to be complete by the end of the summer.

AIR QUALITY:

BD Neal and Associates is studying the air quality effects of the project, and will be performing modeling of air quality using computer models approved by the EPA and the Federal Highway Administration. The analysis will determine if future air pollution would exceed federal or state standards. The modeling will be performed once traffic data is fully completed.

NOISE IMPACTS:

DL Adams and Associates is evaluating noise impacts from the project. They will be taking measurements of existing noise levels and predicting future noise levels using a computer model created by the Federal Highway Administration. This analysis will be performed once traffic data is fully completed.

BOTANICAL RESOURCES:

Geometrician Associates completed their field study of botanical resources in the corridor, to document if any threatened or endangered plant species are present in the corridor. Their report is currently under internal review.

FAUNAL AND AVIAN SPECIES:

Rana Environmental Consulting completed fieldwork in the corridor on fauna to determine if the project will have an impact on threatened or endangered species, particularly birds or bats. Their report is currently under internal review.

AQUATIC RESOURCES:

AECOS studied aquatic resources and water quality associated with surface waters found in the corridor in early summer by completing fieldwork earlier this summer and documenting their findings of resources in a draft report that is currently under internal review.

HYDROLOGY:

CMF Engineers is studying drainage in the corridor and helping our designers ensure that the project will improve drainage problems and not create new drainage problems in the corridor. Their findings will also document the impacts of the project on floodplains. The hydrology report will be available after the completion of the project design.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND CULTURAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT:

Cultural Surveys Hawaii performed fieldwork to search for archaeological resources in the study area. They are also conducting a Cultural Impact Assessment of the corridor to document the anticipated effects of this project on traditional cultural practices by interviewing local members of the community with information on these practices. The draft archaeology study is almost completed pending receipt of information from the State Historic Preservation Division. The Cultural Impact Study has been progressing and will be completed around October.

UTILITY RELOCATIONS:

MK Engineers is assisting the project designers in determining the effects of the project on utility relocations. They are also involved in estimating the electrical construction costs of the project. The utility relocations analysis will begin when preliminary design is complete in September, with the utility relocations analysis completed several weeks later.